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What Does Free Speech Mean Online?

A smartphone showing Donald J. Trump's suspended Twitter account.
On At Liberty, we dig into how to reconcile social media bans and free speech rights.
A smartphone showing Donald J. Trump's suspended Twitter account.
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January 29, 2021

Nearly three weeks ago, former President Donald Trump was banned from nearly every social media platform because of his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Just before Congress was set to certify Joe Biden as the next president of the United States, Trump instructed his supporters to, “fight much harder” against “bad people” and “show strength” at the Capitol.

The social media bans on Trump and his supporters ignited a debate about whether these social media companies have too much power over the speech of their users. Should they have banned Trump sooner? Are these bans legal? What kind of precedent does banning Trump and others from these platforms set for the speech of marginalized communities? And should the government rein in the private sector power of these companies?

To answer some of these tough questions, we’re joined on At Liberty by Kate Ruane, senior legislative counsel for First Amendment issues at the ACLU.

What Does Free Speech Mean Online?

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